Presentation College (San Fernando) succumbed to its first defeat of the season in the Premiership Division of the Secondary Schools Football League yesterday, going down 1-3 to arch-rivals Naparima College at Lewis Street, San Fernando. But 'Pres' as the school is commonly called, still maintained the lead on the 15-team standings with 29 points.
Team manager Andre Benjamin said his team's fate still lies in its own hands, as the school need to win its two remaining matches against St Anthony's College and San Juan North Secondary to retain the title it won last year.
"Kudos to Naparima, they wanted it more than us on the day, but we will be taking our remaining matches one game at a time. In our next game against St Anthony's we have to step it up a notch to ensure maximum points," Benjamin explained.
Presentation drew first blood when the team's prolific striker Jordan Riley scored the opening goal from the penalty spot in the 17th minute to put the host ahead. The visitors lost key central defender Justin Cornwall early in the second half, for his second bookable offence, which left the team vulnerable thereafter. With a man down Naps equalised soon after from Zaquan Foster, before Issa Bramble and Seon Shipley sealed the win with item late in the half, taking them one point behind the leaders.
Afterwards, Angus Eve, the Naps coach said he would like to see St Anthony's and San Juan North play Pres with the same fight and quality as they displayed against his team. "I know they both have the tools to play well against Presentation, but the question is if they would produce the goods on the day," said Eve.
The former national midfielder and coach believes in spite of his team's triumph yesterday, Pres still has the title to win, saying it is theirs to lose. "The most we can do now is maintain the pressure on the leaders and hope that if they slip up we will be waiting to capitalize," Eve concluded.
Meanwhile, third place San Juan North also dropped two valuable points in a 1-1 tie with St Anthony's at West moorings which took them to 26 points, but Queen's Royal College (QRC) maintained their seventh position by edging Fatima 1-0, courtesy a late Darlon Guppy strike.
RESULTS
Naps 3 vs Pres 1 (Jordan Riley)
QRC 1 (Darlon Guppy) vs Fatima 0
St Anthony's 1 vs San Juan 1
St Benedict's 1 (Aaron Rodney 60th) vs Carapichaima 1 (Kevon Williams 90th)
St Mary's 2 (Nanton Gabriel 10th, Tyrese Spicer 42nd) vs East Mucurapo 4 (Jaheim Patrick 8th, Zion Mc Leod 30th, David Daniel 63rd, Kidane Lewis 69th)
Trinity Moka 3 vs St Augustine 3 (Jelani Augustus, Keshawn St Rose, Rivaldo Coryat)
Trinity East 2 (Daniel Lake, Jarved Elcock) vs Valencia 2
STANDINGS:
TEAMS*P*W*D*L*F*A*GD*PTS
1*Pres*12*9*2*1*26*10*16*29
2*Naps*12*8*4*0*24*9*15*28
3*San Juan North*12*8*2*2*23*14*19*26
4*St Benedict's*13*6*3*4*22*20*2*21
5*Carapichaima*12*6*2*4*23*20*3*20
6*Trinity Moka*12*5*4*3*19*24*-5*19
7*QRC*12*5*4*3*18*10*8*19
8*St Augustine*12*5*2*5*25*21*4*17
9*Trinity East*12*3*7*2*13*10*3*16
10*St Anthony's*12*4*3*5*21*20*1*15
11*East Mucurapo*12*4*2*6*17*21*-4*14
12*St Mary's*11*2*2*7*14*20*-6*8
13*Fatima*13*2*2*9*11*21*-10*8
14*Valencia*12*2*3*7*16*28*-12*7
15*Bishop's*13*0*2*11*12*36*-24*2
